Bob Dylan - Dylan (1973)

Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter who emerged out of the early 60s folk revival to become an informal chronicler and reluctant figurehead of social unrest. He famously made the move from folk music to electric rock in the mid-60s, and has remained a major figure in music for five decades.

In 1973 Bob Dylan's contract with Columbia Records expired, and he signed with David Geffen's Asylum label. He began recording a new album with his old friends The Band, and plans were announced for him to go on tour for the first time since 1966. Columbia were keen to get another product out of him in time for the new tour, and cobbled together a number of outtakes to make the Dylan album, which was released in late 1973. Due to the fact that Dylan himself had no input concerning its compilation, it is generally not considered a 'proper' Bob Dylan album. The fact that it featured no originals songs and consisted of outtakes from his least popular two albums (Self Portrait and New Morning) didn't help. The songs were all traditional folk numbers and covers, the latter including his renditions of some very well known songs, among them Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi", Jerry Jeff Walker's "Mr Bojangles" and Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling In Love".

The album was dismissed by critics on its release, and though the music of course isn't bad, it can be seen as a rather pointless release on the part of Columbia to cash in on him one more time.